When I was contemplating the images to display for this challenge, the notion of black and white as individual colors surfaced. The twinkling of an idea reappeared from the past, taking images that are mostly black or white.

I also wanted to touch on the banter that circles around each as color or non-color. There is the argument that both are the absence of color. There is also much discussion about black as the combination of the primary colors and white as the absence of coloration.

When the primaries (blue, red and yellow) are mixed the result is close to black, but is not a black black. White is seen when the spectrum of colors are reflected off a surface, and none remain.

I’ve always thought that if we cannot perceive color, then how can we see white. How do we see nothing? Is one positive and the other negative space? Is one the more dramatic and the other more pure? And when we see the dark of night, are we seeing or not seeing. Well, it’s all about light that miracle of all miracles, and the heroine that helps sustains life.

Science explains it this way: A surface which contains all colors will be seen as black, because the viewer perceives that no colors are being reflected. Whereas to realize white, the observer sees all colors reflected. This explanation is the path to: black is color and white is not.

Most of us do not contemplate this approach to color as we live among it each and every moment of our awakening and sleeping. We simple “assume” that color just is.

Technically, the creation of color pigments is a whole other area. The print industry, for example, uses four colors (CMYK: cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to make its products. The primaries need help.

While in the digital darkroom I decided to experiment with some images that the human eye sees as mostly black or white. In each image we would not see anything without the other pigment to create a subject.

In the Lens section are two images that I transformed into an additional six. My purpose was to see variations on the theme. To see where the light and dark areas were arranged and rearranged. Image four is blurred to lessen the effects of the branches, seemingly bridging the two areas that define the subject. The last image reverses the colors, and renders the stairwell mostly white.

Light is a companion and key to define our color-coded existence. Variations are inherent. White is white or not. Black is black or not.

What I find most astonishing is that we have for so long been able to reproduce and manipulate colors. Now twenty-first century technology offers me the capability to produce images relatively quickly in comparison to darkroom techniques or handmade drawings or easel-based paintings. I continue to be awed by what can be accomplished at my iMac or iPhone.

Mostly, color’s velocity of inspiration pushes us to create a techicolored world that also engages monochromatic wonders. The black of black and the white of white are sparkling examples of what makes our universe masterful.

Inherently, we become barely aware of our usual surroundings. Especially in our visually-laden environment colors brushing against our external world can easily go unnoticed. Those of us who are responsive to our visual spaces are more attuned to the color chart of our lives. Still we also can be neglectful.

The camera is a perfect human invention to help us seize and steady what we see. It helps us move back and forth between the palette of monochrome and pigment. It certainly makes us constantly vigilant.

We can fill our cups with the signature of the visual in all of its contrasts, shades and tones. That mix can be serendipitous, or it can be planned.

Regardless, I am continually amazed by the near precision of the human animal to accomplish certain feats. Our ability to mimic and reproduce nature’s performance in color or monochrome is one of our greatest triumphs.

Hi Sally. I really enjoyed your very thought-provoking post – and the photos. Have to say, my favourite is the first for the sheer simplicity and purity of the image. I guess I haven’t engaged with the debate in my post – it’s more a meditation on our lack of summer here!

Each of the sets and each individual picture has its merits, telling more about the subject in a different way. The discussion about black/white or colour is really a human discussion. Most animals do not see colours I have been told once (not really sure if that is true but for the sake of the argument I put it down like that). So, humans have a luxury issue at hand; I am always drown to black and white since I started taking and printing my own pictures. Being limited in the dark room in the past, the digital dark room offers an enormous possibility of being creative. Even with scans of negatives I did never print, because they were too cumbersome or impossible to handle in the dark room. But the love for atmosphere, story telling, abstraction works for me better in a black and white photo. Mainly because it is a way of looking we are not used to in our daily life. But not going into the area of image manipulation and over photoshopping. Does this make sense?

Yes, indeed. Yesterday I had a discussion with Meghan at Firebonnet.com about the digital darkroom. I told her that I bought Photoshop a few years ago, and have never used it. I tend to do the simplest of editing and processing. I also am enamored with the possibilities of black-and-white photography, and how it stretches our perception and vision of our universe. I appreciate your response to the post. Thanks.

Your topic, black and white, and the abstract nature of your photographs in this post, reminded me of the many black and white optical illusions that people have found or created, some of which can be seen at:

These are nice sets to think about. I prefer the first picture in each set. This is probably because the subjects for both sets seem very angular and simple in their lines and (partly) in their colour borders. To me this makes the stronger clear cut versions of the pictures more appropriate. On the other hand maybe all that really amounts to is that I just like photographs that are strong and clear cut 🙂

I like the first versions of both. What’s amazing is how the camera becomes and behaves like a graphic art instrument. This is what’s so amazing and what’s so difficult to accept, at least in the traditional sense of photography. Some people still struggle with the fact that photography is a graphic art; what do you think?

Most assuredly, it depends on the definition of graphic arts. Traditionally, it meant the printed arts. Those images engraved, and then produced in 2-D format (a quick definition). But if one were to stretch its meaning, photography certainly fits. thanks so much for your comment and visit.

Certainly, with the invention of digital technology photographic arts are evolving. Still, the distinctions seems clear. A photograph is taken with a camera. While we may apply different digital darkroom techniques, the lens is the creator, so to speak. While in graphic arts different media are used to create it. That does not mean that graphic quality are separate, they are inherent in photographs.

Wow, I love the discussion of black and white vs color and how our eyes perceive them! Really well written! My favorites are 4 and 8. I love the dominant whiteness in each! Most of what I photograph is either correctly or underexposed, but I love the white radiance in these. Great work! 🙂

Great post today Sally, I really like the discussion about color. I’m always drawn to bright, vibrant colors but surprisingly find black and white images to be more relaxing. Now I’m wondering if that is because of the contrasts between all colors and the absence of color…Your first branch image is my favorite today. 🙂

i love the different sets. it makes me realize that there so much to experiment in black & white. And no doubt B & W photography is an interesting area provided you get a right subject & some good skills.

First I want to say I appreciate the time you take not only with your photos, but with your thoughts and teaching. I’m going to take time when I get back to the land of all-day internet to re-read your post and try some new techniques. As I said once before, I also appreciate that you get your post out promptly in the morning, a boon for morning people and those of us who usually post automatically during the wee hours of the day.

In the first set, I like the first photo best. In the second set, I like the original and the first edit. That’s not to say I don’t like the others in either set, but these are my favorites. Why is much less easy to define. 🙂

These are all superb images Sally-but I must confess that I am most drawn to the very top one of the branches as well as the last one of the branches-Your exercise is a wonderful reminder that b/w is not always the absence of color per se, nor a boring recording of life, but it can be a wonderful celebration of light and dark, shape and form-

I really like the originals of both examples. As for the edited, I prefer the second of the dried branches. To me it was almost like a night and day shot. As for the stairwell, the second photo made me think of a printed fabric remnant for some reason even though it was like an ink sketch. I, too, was one who was taught (and it stuck) that black is all colors combined and white is the complete absence of color. I appreciate the scientific explanation! I guess I never thought about it enough to research it myself. 🙂